The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 34 -

(2 Kings 22:1–2)

Iosiah was eight yeere olde when hee began to reigne, and he reigned in Ierusalem one and thirtie yeere.

And he did vprightly in the sight of ye Lord, and walked in the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.

Josiah Destroys Idolatry

(1 Kings 13:1–10; 2 Kings 23:4–20)

And in the eight yeere of his reigne (when he was yet a childe) he began to seeke after the God of Dauid his father: and in the twelft yeere he began to purge Iudah, and Ierusalem from the hie places, and the groues, and the carued images, and molten images:

And they brake downe in his sight the altars of Baalim, and hee caused to cut downe the images that were on hie vpon them: he brake also the groues, and the carued images, and the molten images, and stampt them to pouder, and strowed it vpon the graues of them that had sacrificed vnto them.

Also he burnt the bones of the Priests vpon their altars, and purged Iudah and Ierusalem.

And in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, euen vnto Naphtali, with their maules they brake all round about.

And when he had destroyed the altars and the groues, and had broken and stamped to pouder the images, and had cut downe all the idoles throughout all the land of Israel, hee returned to Ierusalem.

Josiah Repairs the Temple

(2 Kings 22:3–7)

Then in the eightenth yere of his reigne, when hee had purged the lande and the Temple, he sent Shaphan the sonne of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the gouernour of the citie, and Ioah the sonne of Ioahaz the recorder, to repaire the house of the Lord his God.

And when they came to Hilkiah the hie Priest, they deliuered ye money that was brought into the house of God, which the Leuites that kept the doore, had gathered at the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and of all the residue of Israel, and of all Iudah and Beniamin, and of the inhabitantes of Ierusalem.

And they put it in the hands of them that should doe the worke and had the ouersight in the house of the Lord: and they gaue it to the workemen that wrought in the house of ye Lord, to repaire and amend the house.

Euen to the workemen and to the builders gaue they it, to bye hewed stone and timber for couples and for beames of the houses, which the Kings of Iudah had destroyed.

And the men did the worke faithfully, and the ouerseers of them were Iahath and Obadiah the Leuites, of the children of Merari, and Zechariah, and Meshullam, of the children of the Kohathites to set it forward: and of the Leuites all that could skill of instruments of musike.

And they were ouer the bearers of burdens, and them that set forwarde all the workemen in euery worke: and of the Leuites were scribes, and officers and porters.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

(2 Kings 22:8–13)

And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the Priest found the booke of the Lawe of the Lord giuen by the hand of Moses.

Therefore Hilkiah answered and sayde to Shaphan the chaceler, I haue found the booke of the Law in the house of the Lord: and Hilkiah gaue the booke to Shaphan.

And Shaphan caried the booke to the King, and brought the King worde againe, saying, All that is committed to the hand of thy seruants, that do they.

For they haue gathered the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and haue deliuered it into the handes of the ouerseers, and to the handes of the workemen.

Also Shaphan ye chanceler declared to the King, saying, Hilkiah the Priest hath giuen mee a booke, and Shaphan read it before the King.

And when the King had heard the wordes of the Lawe, he tare his clothes.

And the King commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan, and Abdon the sonne of Micah, and Shaphan the chanceler, and Asaiah the Kings seruant, saying,

Goe and enquire of the Lord for me, and for the rest in Israel and Iudah, concerning the wordes of this booke that is founde: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is fallen vpon vs, because our fathers haue not kept the worde of the Lord, to doe after all that is written in this booke.

Huldah’s Prophecy

(2 Kings 22:14–20)

Then Hilkiah and they that the King had appoynted, went to Huldah the Prophetesse ye wife of Shallum, the sonne of Tokhath, the sonne of Hasrah keeper of the wardrobe (and she dwelt in Ierusalem within the colledge) and they communed hereof with her.

And shee answered them, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, Tell yee the man that sent you to me,

Thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I will bring euill vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitantes thereof, euen all the curses, that are written in the booke which they haue read before the King of Iudah:

Because they haue forsaken me, and burnt incense vnto other gods, to anger mee with al the workes of their hands, therefore shall my wrath fall vpon this place, and shall not be quenched.

But to the King of Iudah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say vnto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The words which thou hast heard, shall come to passe.

But because thine heart did melt, and thou didest humble thy selfe before God, when thou heardest his wordes against this place and against the inhabitantes thereof, and humbledst thy selfe before mee and tarest thy clothes, and weptest before mee, I haue also heard it, sayth the Lord.

Beholde, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt bee put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euill, which I will bring vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitants of the same. Thus they brought ye King word againe.

Josiah Renews the Covenant

(2 Kings 23:1–3)

Then the King sent and gathered all the Elders of Iudah and Ierusalem.

And the King went vp into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, and the Priests and the Leuites, and all the people from the greatest to the smallest, and hee read in their eares all the wordes of the booke of the couenant that was found in the house of the Lord.

And the King stood by his pillar, and made a couenant before the Lord, to walke after the Lord, and to keepe his commandements, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soule, and that he would accomplish the wordes of the couenant written in the same booke.

And he caused all that were found in Ierusalem, and Beniamin to stande to it: and the inhabitants of Ierusalem did according to the couenant of God, euen the God of their fathers.

So Iosiah tooke away al the abominations out of all the countreis that perteined to the children of Israel, and compelled all that were found in Israel, to serue the Lord their God: so all his dayes they turned not backe from the Lord God of their fathers.

(2 Kings 22:1–2)

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.

He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left.

Josiah Destroys Idolatry

(1 Kings 13:1–10; 2 Kings 23:4–20)

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images.

They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and he cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.

He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins.

He broke down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, then returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah Repairs the Temple

(2 Kings 22:3–7)

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder to repair the house of the LORD his God.

They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into God’s house, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered from the hands of Manasseh, Ephraim, of all the remnant of Israel, of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

They delivered it into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the LORD’s house; and the workmen who labored in the LORD’s house gave it to mend and repair the house.

They gave it to the carpenters and to the builders to buy cut stone and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

The men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to give direction; and others of the Levites, who were all skillful with musical instruments.

Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and directed all who did the work in every kind of service. Of the Levites, there were scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

(2 Kings 22:8–13)

When they brought out the money that was brought into the LORD’s house, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the LORD’s law given by Moses.

Hilkiah answered Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the LORD’s house.” So Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying, “All that was committed to your servants, they are doing.

They have emptied out the money that was found in the LORD’s house, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and into the hand of the workmen.”

Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book.” Shaphan read from it to the king.

When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

The king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,

“Go inquire of the LORD for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the LORD’s wrath that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the LORD’s word, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

Huldah’s Prophecy

(2 Kings 22:14–20)

So Hilkiah and those whom the king had commanded went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her to that effect.

She said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,

“The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.

Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath is poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’”’

But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, you shall tell him this, ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says: “About the words which you have heard,

because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says the LORD.

“Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes won’t see all the evil that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.”’” They brought back this message to the king.

Josiah Renews the Covenant

(2 Kings 23:1–3)

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

The king went up to the LORD’s house with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests, the Levites, and all the people, both great and small—and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the LORD’s house.

The king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. All his days they didn’t depart from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.